


Duras Drum

by Joveesia, MelodicMadness



Series: Luceid Aeon Raftina [1]
Category: Tales of Xillia, Tales of Xillia 2
Genre: AU, Elle Ending, Fluff, Gen, Half-Spirit AU, Ludger is not dead, Post Game, Second Chance at Life, Sorry Not Sorry, good ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-28
Updated: 2015-01-28
Packaged: 2018-03-09 10:20:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3246044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joveesia/pseuds/Joveesia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelodicMadness/pseuds/MelodicMadness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Ludger didn't just disappear when he sacrificed himself to save the world? What if he was just stuck in between and he watched everyone move on with their lives?</p><p> </p><p>What if he could have a chance to rejoin them, to have the rest of his life? </p><p>First part of this AU, separate from main story for reasons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Duras Drum

**Author's Note:**

> This started as musing between myself and my close friend Asch. Quick chat last night about what Ludger would see if he was watching everyone and this is roughly what we talked about. Also, Ludger/Gaius is one of our favorite ships for this dumb game and just rolled with it. This is just the first part, Don't be Afraid of the Future's the main arc/story but this is important.

It was... surreal.

 

It had been a month (A week?) since finishing Origin's trial. (Time is nothing here)  Ludger was floating in a vast space of coexisting nothing and everything. He remembered briefly that Milla, the Maxwell of their dimension, mentioned a place like this when she was betwixt. He wasn't sure what he had expected when he became the sacrifice to save the world, Origin had made it sound like he would have ceased to be. Yet there he was, floating, flowing through the living consciences of all of the people in Reize Maxia and Elympios. He wasn't a spirit, he wasn't dead, he was just observing. Ludger wondered if he would remain like this for the rest of time. He wouldn't have put it past the vengeful Great Spirit of Time. If there was one good thing to be said about Ludger’s nonexistent existence is that he could watch all of his former comrades as well as Elle.

 

Like today, Jude was cooking her breakfast in Ludger’s old apartment. Rollo meowing and yowling for some good food in his bowl. (The Landlady took pity on the lot when they returned, gave them an extra week before the rent was due to figure out what was being done) Leia and Elize weren't far off, both getting ready for their days of work.

 

How are you this morning, sleepy head?

 

What do you want to eat?

 

Need help picking out an outfit?

 

Are you ready to go?

 

Did you remember everything?

  


Ludger smiled wistfully. The sounds of them chatting back and forth, fretting over Elle in only the way close friends or even family could. Elle, though a little more demure from enough traumatic events to last a lifetime, snapped back that she wasn't a child. Leia teases her a little then heads off to work on some next big story. ELize snags some toast to eat when Rowen arrives to escort the two girls to school. Jude reminds them to be good, they tell him he's mothering again.

 

He laughs, Ludger laughs.

 

Rowen reminds him that Erston still planned on taking Elle out for the day after her classes were done. Jude tells Rowen that Erston's going to spoil her.

 

Rowen  just chuckles with a twinkle in his eye before playing dumb.

 

Jude just shakes his head with a sigh and tells them he'll see them later.

 

The apartment is empty not ten minutes later. Ludger already knew they never touched his room, or Julius's. It's the same mess that was left before it all began. He can't blame them for not wanting to trespass.

 

Hours minutes second whiz by and Elle is out of school, bounding amusedly out to a waiting Alvin, Erston, and Muzét. Alvin of course is all grins and quick retorts which Elle easily matches par for par. Muzét just watches the two amusedly before sounding all too amused at the prospect of shopping. Erston clearly looks like the company of the other two was not expect nor wanted particularly but couldn't be bother to try to ask them to leave. The quartet walk to a recently opened shopping center to investigate.

 

What had Erston been doing lately?

 

How was Alvin's business going?

 

How was Milla doing?

 

What was Muzét talking about? (Erston reprimanded her, Alvin awkwardly laughed it off)

  
  


(Ludger sighed)

  
  


They shopped for hours, Elle the ever more excited with Alvin and Muzét. Erston was tough with the cash, refused to spend too much on trinkets.

 

Muzét goaded him on to buy a little sundress for Elle.

 

Ertson bought it and Alvin teased him even with the hushed threat of death.

 

They all had dinner. (And a show from everyone gawking at the lovely lady spirit)

 

Muzét returned to the spirit realm. Alvin bid his goodnight and returned to his pad. Erston walked Elle home.

 

Elle has a question.

 

Erston acquiesces to hear it.

 

She asks if he think Ludger's okay.

 

The world stops, all if quiet. Erston's surprised into silence. After a moment, replies.

 

_Ludger's one of the strongest people I know. I am sure he's just fine._

  
  


Ludger's heart breaks as time marches on.

  


Oh, how he would give anything to return to them all, to a place out of a limbo like this.

 

He doesn't follow them home, he knows the drill. He stays (formless, uninteracting) in the Trigleph square, peering up into the night sky with no eyes.

 

Maybe it would have been better to just have disappeared. But... the pain is worth the knowledge that everyone's going to be all right. He leaves his hometown, his friends, to observe others.

 

Maybe he'll get his wish to return someday.

  
  
  


_**Long time no see.** _

_**Origin stuck you out here, huh?** _

  
  
  


Looming, powerful, threatening.  Large hand connected to powerful arms clad in dark, obsidian armor. There should be no one there, no one here in this place where the birds don’t fly. The powerful hand of the powerful spirit (Pluto again always Pluto lurking around, observing) holds Ludger from behind, immobilizing him when it should be impossible.

  


_**Alright kid.** _

_**I think I can help you out…** _

  


And everything went black.

 

 


End file.
